This invention relates to load handling and hoisting implements and more particularly to an improved implement for grasping a barrel or drum to facilitate lifting and transferring the drum.
Many industrial liquids are commonly shipped in barrels or drums. In many parts of the world, for example, liquids are often shipped in 55 gallon drums having standard dimensions. Such drums, when full of liquid, are quite difficult to handle since they may weigh on the order of 400 pounds to 700 pounds, or more. The drums are quite difficult to handle with conventional equipment, such as cranes or forklift trucks since there is no convenient way to grasp a drum. One implement which has been available in the past for grasping a drum is in the form of tongs which are similar to ice tongs. The tongs engage an upper rim on the drum at diametrically opposing locations and are attached to either a hoist cable or to one tine of a forklift. However, implements of this type are quite dangerous since they tend to slip off of the drum, particularly if a workman does not carefully locate the tongs on diametrically opposing portions of the drum rim. Due to the danger of tongs slipping from the drum, many delivery men will not permit the use of this type of implement for loading and unloading their trucks.